The Back Up and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast
Welcome to the podcast from Back Up, the spinal cord injury charity. We inspire people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life.
Back Up and Thriving is an accessible travel podcast about travelling with a spinal cord injury. Hosted by Back Up’s Head of Services, Sophie Elwes, who sustained a SCI herself in 2011. She interviews a range of guests, all of whom have a spinal cord injury and have experienced Back Up's life-changing services.
The Back Up and Thriving Accessible Travel Podcast
Life After Spinal Cord Injury: Resilience, Communication While Travelling, and Realising Our Value with Kyla Harris
What happens when you refuse the story you are told about disability and choose to write your own?
In this episode of Back Up and Thriving, Sophie Elwes speaks with Kyla Harris, actor, producer, writer and co creator of the BBC series We Might Regret This. Kyla shares her experience of sustaining a spinal cord injury at 15 and the long process of rebuilding identity in a world with limited disabled role models.
Kyla speaks openly about internalised ableism, medical pessimism, and how community helped transform her understanding of self worth. She reflects on her journey into filmmaking and the responsibility of TV and film to shape honest disability representation.
Travel is a central theme. Kyla discusses her first trip after injury, extensive travel across Europe, Central America and North Africa, and the practical realities of travelling as a disabled person. Her advice is direct, grounded and shaped by decades of lived experience.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- How internalised ableism shapes confidence after spinal cord injury
- Why disability representation in media matters
- Practical travel advice for disabled people
- How to communicate needs clearly when travelling
- Why community is essential for living well with disability
Key Moments:
00:01 - Meeting Kyla Harris
02:12 - Life before and after spinal injury
03:42 - Medical perspectives and early challenges
08:24 - Understanding internalised ableism
12:36 - From acting to filmmaking
17:45 - Disability representation in TV and film
22:33 - First trip after spinal injury
29:28 - Travelling the world as a disabled person
34:45 - Travel preparation and communication
36:37 - Advice for newly injured travellers
42:40 - Community and living well with disability
🌍 Ready to plan your next adventure with confidence?
If you’re looking for accessible travel advice or want to connect with someone who’s been there, Back Up is here to help.
Reach out to the team and get the support you need to travel confidently today:
👉 www.backuptrust.org.uk/support-for-you/back-up-and-thriving-accessible-travel-toolkit
These resources are proudly supported by the Motability Foundation.
Credits:
This episode was hosted by Sophie Elwes, Head of Services at Back Up and produced by Phonic Content.
Back Up is a national charity for everyone affected by spinal cord injury. Join us on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin.